Portal:Speculative fiction/Fantasy

Speculative Fiction Portal logo
Speculative Fiction Portal logo


Main Science fiction Fantasy Horror People Publications
Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common. Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of scientific and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three (which are subgenres of speculative fiction).

In popular culture, the genre of fantasy is dominated by its medievalist form, especially since the worldwide success of The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. In its broadest sense however, fantasy comprises works by many writers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians, from ancient myths and legends to many recent works embraced by a wide audience today.

Fantasy is a vibrant area of academic study in a number of disciplines (English, cultural studies, comparative literature, history, medieval studies). Work in this area ranges widely, from the structuralist theory of Tzvetan Todorov, which emphasizes the fantastic as a liminal space, to work on the connections (political, historical, literary) between medievalism and popular culture.

The identifying traits of fantasy are the inclusion of fantastic elements in a self-coherent (internally consistent) setting, where inspiration from mythology and folklore remains a consistent theme. Within such a structure, any location of the fantastical element is possible: it may be hidden in, or leak into the apparently real world setting, it may draw the characters into a world with such elements, or it may occur entirely in a fantasy world setting, where such elements are part of the world. American fantasy, starting with the stories chosen by John W. Campbell, Jr. for the magazine Unknown, is often characterized by internal logic. That is, the events in the story are impossible, but follow "laws" of magic, and have a setting that is internally consistent.

Dobrynya Nikitich rescues Zabava Putyatishna from the dragon Gorynych.

Selected fantasy work

Howl's Moving Castle is a young adult fantasy novel by British author Diana Wynne Jones, first published in 1986. It won a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and was named an ALA Notable book for both children and young adults. In 2004 it was loosely adapted as an Academy Award-nominated animated film by Hayao Miyazaki. A sequel, Castle in the Air, was published in 1990. A second sequel, House of Many Ways was released in June 2008.

A young woman named Sophie Hatter is the eldest of three daughters living in the town of Market Chipping in the magical kingdom of Ingary, where many fairy-tale tropes are accepted ways of life. She is very deft with the needle and makes the most beautiful hats and dresses. She unknowingly talks life into objects. As the eldest, she is resigned to the "fact" that she will have no chance of finding her fortune, accepting that she will have a dull life running the family hat shop—until she is turned into an old crone by the Witch of the Waste, a powerful witch who has mistaken Sophie for her sister, the current love interest of Wizard Howl. Sophie leaves the shop and finds work as a cleaning lady for the notorious Howl, famed in her town for eating the hearts of beautiful young women.

Fantasy topics

Related Portals


🔥 Top keywords: Akademia e Shkencave e RPS te ShqiperiseAlexandria Ocasio-CortezBilderberg GroupCristiano RonaldoDong XiaowanMinecraftOperation GladioPrimal cutRiot FestStrictly Come Dancing (series 7)Main PageSpecial:SearchBaike: Requested articles/Business and economics/Companies/M-SIndian Premier LeagueFrancis Scott Key Bridge (Baltimore)Baike: Featured pictures2024 Indian Premier LeagueFrancis Scott Key Bridge collapseSean CombsNicole Shanahan3 Body Problem (TV series)PornhubJoe LiebermanThe Three-Body Problem (novel)XXXTentacionCleopatraYouTubeDan SchneiderDeaths in 2024MV DaliGodzilla x Kong: The New EmpireBrian PeckPorno y heladoSunrisers HyderabadUEFA Euro 2024Shōgun (2024 miniseries)Road House (2024 film)InstagramRonna McDanielDrake BellRobert F. Kennedy Jr.Francis Scott KeyAmanda BynesViral videoRobert HanssenBaltimoreBrandon ScottDune: Part TwoADX FlorenceFacebookTartanAditi Rao HydariSoaking (sexual practice)Ruby FrankeX-Men '97Cassie VenturaSunshine Skyway BridgeSergey Brin2024 Indian general electionList of Twenty20 cricket recordsSiddharth (actor)Portal Current eventsWinnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2Kalanithi MaranThree-body problemThe Gentlemen (2024 TV series)Kim PorterChatGPTJake GyllenhaalGhostbusters: Frozen EmpireWrestleMania XLKwena MaphakaPoor Things (film)2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)Dune (2021 film)United StatesWes MooreEndrick (footballer, born 2006)Maundy ThursdaySydney SweeneySolar eclipse of April 8, 2024Carol BurnettCrocus City Hall attackMadelyne PryorQuiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TVElin NordegrenKung Fu Panda 4SexCowboy CarterRed Eye (2005 American film)Battle of the HydaspesRyan GoslingFighter (2024 film)Eva MendesBattle of New CarthageImmaculate (2024 film)J. Robert OppenheimerArgentina national football teamShirley ChisholmTaylor SwiftLate Night with the DevilList of Indian Premier League records and statisticsRichard SerraTheo JamesNational September 11 Memorial & MuseumConor McGregorOppenheimer (film)Daniel KahnemanUEFA Euro 2024 qualifying